Culinary Trieste.

Trieste is a real bordertown and is exactly located on the border that divides the east europeans from the mediterranean europeans, in a "mittel european" and Balkan region, where people, merchandise and gastronomical customs had their influences.
The triestan gastronomy uses quite a few names with foreign sounds of German or Slavonian: Behind these names are no copies of imported culinary specialties, but original recipes that still are used and consumed regularly in Trieste.

To experience the daily atmosphere in Naples in the "friggitorie" and in Genova in the "focaccerie" you just walk in, just like a "buffet" in Trieste.
According to the tradition, in these small and characteristic places, a wide range of cooked pork meat is offered. In the "stoves" cotechino, Viennese and Cragno sausages, porcina, pancetta and lingua salmistrata are cooked, served with kren (horseradish), capuzi (sauerkraut), patate in tecia (mashed potatoes) and beer. On their doors you will often find a tag with the word "buffet", followed by girls names (Luisa, Rosa) or nick names (Pepi S'ciavo).

Even today, the inhabitants of Trieste dine in these "buffets".
Eventually, we should mention about the passion that the Triestini (inhabitants of Trieste) feel for the snack, those small bites in between meals, accompanied by a glass of wine or beer...

On every counter of a buffet, you will find a beautiful pork's thigh with a bone in a ham holder. This cooked prosciutto, hand sliced and served still warm, with freshly grated horseradish, remains a loved custom of the Triestino and is a "must do" for anyone that wishes to "taste" a piece of Trieste.

Read more:
Maria Stelvio, La cucina triestina, Trieste, Edizioni Italo Svevo, 2000
Jolanda de Vonderweid, Cucina triestina, cucina istriana, cucina dalmata, Trieste, Lint Editoriale, 2003
Giuliana Fabricio, La cucina tipica triestina, Trieste, Lint Editoriale, 2007